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jenlynnhill's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting read...curious if the quick marriage was something that would really be expected, could Antonia not just live there a nurse Camilla without the expectation that she marry Erik?
ktbc's review against another edition
2.0
I deeply enjoyed the content, characterization, and arcs of the individual characters. I found the relationships between the characters compelling and the approach to grief refreshingly honest. So many reviews talk about the high points of this book, and I enjoyed those aspects, but I didn't give the book a higher rating because of the inherent racism against Native Americans. I am not Native American and so am limited in how well I can speak about what I saw in the book, but I will do my best to explain what I found so unsettling and upsetting.
The author does deal in some nuance, challenging openly racist comments by unfavorably written characters, but the baseline assumptions in the book are still racist. I often saw open racism replaced with more polite, subtler racism. As one example, the female protagonist Antonia wears a tunic and leggings like the women in the nearby Littlefoot tribe. (These women are referred to as "squaws", both in a matter-of-fact way and as a slur.) Antonia, and other prominent characters, verbally and nonverbally against the racism but they are still eager to point out that Antonia is white. This implies that being mistaken for a Native American is a deep insult. Indeed, this very situation is used as a device to drive the male protagonist Eric to marry Antonia. Continuing with this example, as the book progresses, it becomes clear that Antonia continues to wear the tunic and leggings because of their practicality, but only when others can't see her. She's embarrassed to receive visitors in these preferred clothes, and also wears men's clothes at times for their practicality. Antonia is also depicted as most beautiful in white women's fashions, despite the unreasonableness of the attire and the expense.
****SPOILERS TO SUBPLOT BELOW THIS POINT****
I kept reading in part because I reasoned that, though the characters' prejudices are obviously wrong, the Native Americans might be allowed to speak for themselves later in the book. This never happened. Even when Littlefoot characters, who are named but barely described, take the stage alongside the main characters, they are treated almost as children, talked over and around, their troubles easily solved by the benevolent white characters. The reader could easily end the story thinking, "If only the foolish Littlefoot had thought of this incredibly simple solution earlier." For all the author's words about complex problems with relatable reasons ("They must be starving," Antonia repeats whenever the subplot is discussed, though the three Native American characters never share their thoughts or motivations), she weaves an overly simple and infantilizing solution.
There is a child named Hunter, apparently featured in a previous book in the series, who is a Littlefoot adopted by white parents in town. He appears in one or maybe two scenes near the middle of the book and in another scene is mentioned as being helpful in tracking the Littlefoot who have been stealing from farms because Hunter's also Littlefoot. True, I haven't read the previous book, but this has pretty gross overtones to me. The white characters see the situation as law-followers (whites in town) versus lawbreakers (Littlefoot raiders), with Hunter as a sort of converted character from the "bad/other/native" side to the "right/us/white" side. Hunter's opinions are never sought, he is volunteered by his adopted father, and everyone assumes Hunter will be a good son of the white town and do as they want. These assumptions are never challenged and the situation is completely unnecessary. Cutting that exchange wouldn't have taken anything away from the narrative. Also, based on the way the beloved teaching assistant renames Henri with the "more American-sounding" Henry, I can only assume that the same has happened to Hunter. The renaming of these children—rather than stopping the playground bullying and teaching the children to identify and confront their prejudices—is another example of racism. Both examples pertaining to Hunter are also wholly unchallenged in this book.
***END OF SPOILERS***
The author did attempt to address the racism that would have been present in that time period and place, and she is constrained by those elements. However, she chose both. She also chose the town's subplot. She chose not to include any Native American characters who would be present for more than one scene. The book assumes that the Littlefoot characters are inferior to the white characters. The book 'others' an entire tribe (arguably, all Native Americans) by making them the faceless culprits of crimes and the nearest thing to villains, climactic threats to Antonia and Eric's happiness and family.
The author does deal in some nuance, challenging openly racist comments by unfavorably written characters, but the baseline assumptions in the book are still racist. I often saw open racism replaced with more polite, subtler racism. As one example, the female protagonist Antonia wears a tunic and leggings like the women in the nearby Littlefoot tribe. (These women are referred to as "squaws", both in a matter-of-fact way and as a slur.) Antonia, and other prominent characters, verbally and nonverbally against the racism but they are still eager to point out that Antonia is white. This implies that being mistaken for a Native American is a deep insult. Indeed, this very situation is used as a device to drive the male protagonist Eric to marry Antonia. Continuing with this example, as the book progresses, it becomes clear that Antonia continues to wear the tunic and leggings because of their practicality, but only when others can't see her. She's embarrassed to receive visitors in these preferred clothes, and also wears men's clothes at times for their practicality. Antonia is also depicted as most beautiful in white women's fashions, despite the unreasonableness of the attire and the expense.
****SPOILERS TO SUBPLOT BELOW THIS POINT****
I kept reading in part because I reasoned that, though the characters' prejudices are obviously wrong, the Native Americans might be allowed to speak for themselves later in the book. This never happened. Even when Littlefoot characters, who are named but barely described, take the stage alongside the main characters, they are treated almost as children, talked over and around, their troubles easily solved by the benevolent white characters. The reader could easily end the story thinking, "If only the foolish Littlefoot had thought of this incredibly simple solution earlier." For all the author's words about complex problems with relatable reasons ("They must be starving," Antonia repeats whenever the subplot is discussed, though the three Native American characters never share their thoughts or motivations), she weaves an overly simple and infantilizing solution.
There is a child named Hunter, apparently featured in a previous book in the series, who is a Littlefoot adopted by white parents in town. He appears in one or maybe two scenes near the middle of the book and in another scene is mentioned as being helpful in tracking the Littlefoot who have been stealing from farms because Hunter's also Littlefoot. True, I haven't read the previous book, but this has pretty gross overtones to me. The white characters see the situation as law-followers (whites in town) versus lawbreakers (Littlefoot raiders), with Hunter as a sort of converted character from the "bad/other/native" side to the "right/us/white" side. Hunter's opinions are never sought, he is volunteered by his adopted father, and everyone assumes Hunter will be a good son of the white town and do as they want. These assumptions are never challenged and the situation is completely unnecessary. Cutting that exchange wouldn't have taken anything away from the narrative. Also, based on the way the beloved teaching assistant renames Henri with the "more American-sounding" Henry, I can only assume that the same has happened to Hunter. The renaming of these children—rather than stopping the playground bullying and teaching the children to identify and confront their prejudices—is another example of racism. Both examples pertaining to Hunter are also wholly unchallenged in this book.
***END OF SPOILERS***
The author did attempt to address the racism that would have been present in that time period and place, and she is constrained by those elements. However, she chose both. She also chose the town's subplot. She chose not to include any Native American characters who would be present for more than one scene. The book assumes that the Littlefoot characters are inferior to the white characters. The book 'others' an entire tribe (arguably, all Native Americans) by making them the faceless culprits of crimes and the nearest thing to villains, climactic threats to Antonia and Eric's happiness and family.
wordsofclover's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
I received this book from the author/publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Antonia Valleau has to reassess everything when her trapper husband is killed by a grizzly bear. She ends up packing up her belongings and travelling to the nearest town with her two young children, where she meets Erik Muth - a recent widower desperately looking for a wet nurse for his daughter. Out of convenience, the two end up marrying and Antonia and her sons move to the Muth farm to start a new life. Erik and Antonia begin to build a new life together as they slowly begin to know one another, and learn to deal with their grief and growing feelings together.
If anyone is looking for a really nice, simple read this is one for you. It's been a while since I read a book that is just so nice, and comfortable with a lot of charm and I knew that nothing bad was going to happen to my favourite characters. This is mostly a story about dealing with grief while trying to start a new life, and dealing with feelings you might not be ready to really feel yet.
I really enjoyed the characters of Erik and Antonia - they were quite simple but I do think they gelled really well together and they were a couple I really rooted for. I enjoyed the family life and how the children were a big part of the family, for both Erik and Antonia and loving their stepchildren as their own.
There were times when Erik compared to Antonia to Daisy or Daisy to Antonia that was a bit negative towards the other woman which could be annoying at times, and I didn't really like that, and I felt Antonia didn't do that between her two husbands.
There is also some racist language and derogatory terms used in this book towards Native Americans (the word "redskins" and "squaw") and they are referred to as Indians rather than Native Americans as well which yes, would be of the times but if this book can have a female sheriff, there could probabl be a change in language too.
Overall, a charming, nice read which I really needed and enjoyed. And I am definitely interested in possibly continuing with the series - as I am curious to see how the snobby banker finally meets his match in the next book!
I received this book from the author/publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Antonia Valleau has to reassess everything when her trapper husband is killed by a grizzly bear. She ends up packing up her belongings and travelling to the nearest town with her two young children, where she meets Erik Muth - a recent widower desperately looking for a wet nurse for his daughter. Out of convenience, the two end up marrying and Antonia and her sons move to the Muth farm to start a new life. Erik and Antonia begin to build a new life together as they slowly begin to know one another, and learn to deal with their grief and growing feelings together.
If anyone is looking for a really nice, simple read this is one for you. It's been a while since I read a book that is just so nice, and comfortable with a lot of charm and I knew that nothing bad was going to happen to my favourite characters. This is mostly a story about dealing with grief while trying to start a new life, and dealing with feelings you might not be ready to really feel yet.
I really enjoyed the characters of Erik and Antonia - they were quite simple but I do think they gelled really well together and they were a couple I really rooted for. I enjoyed the family life and how the children were a big part of the family, for both Erik and Antonia and loving their stepchildren as their own.
There were times when Erik compared to Antonia to Daisy or Daisy to Antonia that was a bit negative towards the other woman which could be annoying at times, and I didn't really like that, and I felt Antonia didn't do that between her two husbands.
There is also some racist language and derogatory terms used in this book towards Native Americans (the word "redskins" and "squaw") and they are referred to as Indians rather than Native Americans as well which yes, would be of the times but if this book can have a female sheriff, there could probabl be a change in language too.
Overall, a charming, nice read which I really needed and enjoyed. And I am definitely interested in possibly continuing with the series - as I am curious to see how the snobby banker finally meets his match in the next book!
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